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Kokomo Tribune (Newspaper) - June 19, 1994, Kokomo, Indiana
Vol 143 No 286 Kokomo Ind Sunday June It Cityu ates equality laws Ordinances deal with housing jobs By CATHARINE FERNANDO Tribune staff writer After 26 years the city of Koko mo has updated two equal oppor tunity ordinances that would bring it into compliance with fed eral and state standards of non discrimination on the basis of sex race color or disability On Monday Kokomo Common Council passed on first reading an ordinance to amend one estab lished in May 1968 that allows for equal opportunity for education employment access to public accommodation and purchase or rental of real estate The other ordinance guarantee ing the fair housing rights of all residents of the community which again is in accordance with current statutes also cleared the first reading While both ordinances are simi lar in that they both safeguard against discrimination one relates specifically to fair housing and the other to all other aspects of civil rights As outlined in the Kokomo Human Relations Ordinance the main objective is to eliminate the threat of discrimination in employment housing public accommodations educations and all other areas of civil rights City Attorney Ken Ferries explained that it is necessary to add language that meets todays standards that werent considered necessary in 1968 While many of the sections of the original ordi nance remain the language is more specific It is just a reflection of the evo lution of what is generally consid ered to be fair housing standards in Ferries said In terms of specificity in 1968 a lot of things were stated in more general terms now we have to be more specific about whaf s acceptable The human relations ordinance basically states that denying these rights to properly qualified per sons for reason of race religion color or sex is contrary to the prin ciples of freedom and equality and is considered discriminatory practice At the same time it protects employers labor organizations employment agencies property owners real estate brokers and lending institutions from unfounded charges of discrimi Kokomos Human Relations Committee has not faced any major complaints said Sue Cov a committee member However it is necessary to have the ordinance in place should a situation arise she said Among other things the fair housing ordinance now includes language that states a discrimina tory act is committed if a person is denied housing because she is pregnant has children or is in the process of acquiring legal custody of children The city attorney said it would be political to institute the changes in these ordinances because the city stands to gain from communi ty development block grant funds To a degree this the upgrading of the ordinance is driven by a desire to be current under accept ed Housing and Urban Development he said Councilman Dan Hogan D3rd who is also a member of the human relations committee said It makes the language much more specific to provide further safeguards not only for those resi dents who may feel that they are being discriminated against but also for the landlords to protect against false claims of discrimina However Councilman Don Alley Dat large says that the government really had no busi ness getting in the way of a land lord and his tenant Please see City PA8 Pearces say they will whip cancer together By CAMERON WEPRIN Tribune sportswriter TIPTON Ind Theres noth ing like a day at the golf course for Rick Pearce Ever since he first learned the game shortly after graduating from college hes always felt that way The fresh air the newly cut grass and many of his friends all in one place he couldnt possi bly beat it But the links have a little extra special spot in Pearces heart these days because of the days he could nt be there A month ago Pearce went to his doctor because of a sinus problem A week later he was in the hospital receiving chemotherapy treatment for a tumor which was discovered near his nasal passages Last week for the first time since the diagnosis Rick picked up a golf club I played nine holes and I shot 44 I double bogeyed hole num ber 6 double bogeyed 7 vomited on 8 and double bogeyed he said And I still shot The golf course is his personal Its not a place of escape but rather a place where every thing comes together I told my doctors that I dont want to know what my chances he said The odds dont make a difference whether they are two percent or 50 percent Something eventually is going to get me But its not going to be the cancer Im going to beat he said firmly My first question after the diagnosis was Am I going to die tomorrow My doctor said no Please see Pearces PA8 During his battle with cancer Rick Pearce right and his son Brian left have given each other support Tribune photo by Dave Hess Inside todays Kokomo Tribune Local Workers reject Haynes request for wage cuts Page Cl Classified Local News of Better time CARMEL Ind Westerns Kimberly Den nis left and Lisa Talbert highfive in the sev enth inning of the afternoon win over Boonville Western lost in the championship game of the state finals here at Cherry Tree Softball Complex For additional stories and photos see Section B Tribune photo by Anne Farrar Major heartbreak State title escapes WHS in extra innings By CAMERON WEPRIN Tribune sportswriter CARMEL Ind After losing in the state championship game last season Western High Schools softball team adapted the slogan Unfinished Busi Saturday night here at Carmels Cherry Tree Softball Complex Western finished its business It just couldnt collect the overtime For the first time in the history of the IHSAA state champi onship the final game went extra innings But with the Pan thers one out from escaping a basesloaded jam in the bottom of the ninth Carmels Becky Klus singled to give the Grey hounds a 21 victory and the state title We knew someone was going to win it was just a matter of who flinched Carmel coach Bob Brower said Sarah Baldwin lined a shot to third base to start the final inning and when the throw to first went wild Baldwin ended up on third Jenny Schoen walked and was given second Lisa Schrage loaded the bases on a fielders choice play before Holly Newman took control The masterful Western pitcher got the next batter to ground to third baseman Lindsey Boyce who forced the runner out at home Newman caught Lori Bork looking at strike three one of an IHSAA state championship record 16 strikeouts for out No 2 But with one strike on Klus sin gled scoring Schoen I didnt think much about it when we got in the bases loaded said Westerns all state second baseman Kimberly Dennis Weve gotten out of it so many times But this time we Newman dominated Carmel batters all game In the bottom of the first the junior pitcher struck out the side on 16 pitches of which were strikes Eight of her first nine outs happened without a Greyhound batter touching the ball And after striking out two batters in the seventh her total stood at 15 Were the best hitting team in the state and she just shut us Brower said This was Hollys best game by said catcher Karen Noel She was Newman had plenty of help defensively Lisa Talbert who struggled in the afternoon game pitching made two brilliant plays at shortstop for putouts Noel called every pitch and threw a runner out trying to steal second Dennis was flawless at second But even though opportunities presented themselves Western could muster only one run In the top of the second Amy Newman had an infield single and sister Holly Newman sin gled to left They each moved upj a base on Mandy Hilands bunt But when Lindsey Boyces hit touched Newmans leg she was out Amy later scored on Jessica Phillips bloop single Angie Mays singled to lead off the sixth but was doubled off first when the Carmel second baseman snagged a line drive In the seventh Holly Newman singled with one out but was stranded and in the eighth Phillips was called out trying to stretch a single into a double Carmel scored its first run in the second Shannon Whitmore was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a passed ball With two out and a 12 count Katie Riley singled up the middle I was talking to one of the umpires between innings and I tola him that I hoped the girls ended up deciding the Western coach Joe Veger said They did thats the most important When it was over it was a djf ferent scene than last season when the Panthers lost 51 to Merrillville There were still some tears but riot many We knew we worked as hard as we could and we played reaJly well Talbert said They ust got to bat
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